


On the Fifteenth

by CherryMuffinMadness



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Drunk Sex, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 23:21:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1666232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryMuffinMadness/pseuds/CherryMuffinMadness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When it came to dealing with Edward Elric, Roy Mustang thought he had it all figured out. So, where does Edward keep disappearing to on the fifteenth of each month? You would think that previous experience would tell Roy not to get too curious, but then again, he's never paid mind to what happened to the cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them for my evil plans.**

**AN : 'ello! Cherry Muffin here. I've been a real FMA kick lately, and this story just sort of organically grew from watching it too much. Anyhoo, you won't see many of these from me, since who the heck wants to read my notes? Onward to the story! - Cherry.**

"Talking"

'thoughts'

**Curiosity (On the Fifteenth)**

**Chapter One**

At first, it was nothing more than curiosity. It was a nagging voice in the back of his mind, telling him to investigate further. Now, he was never one to listen to this voice, since it usually got him into more trouble than it was worth. Still, this was something that could not go without a thorough look. As Fuhrer, it was up to him to make sure this entire country was running smoothly, and that meant making sure he knew exactly what was going on with his staff. He was just doing his job.

At least, that's what Roy Mustang told himself, as he hid behind a parked car. He peeked over it, keeping his target in sight. A few feet ahead of the car, walking down the sidewalk, was Edward Elric. He had substituted his normal red coat for a nondescript black one. Elric was walking forward, looking like he knew exactly where he was going, as if he had been along this street many times before.

'Where is he going...?'

Roy took a quick glance at the area. It was a very unassuming neighborhood, part of Central's middle class. A few apartment buildings, a small shop here and there. So, what did Fullmetal need here? Roy darted behind another parked car, trying to keep Edward within earshot. Soon, the young alchemist turned and walked into a small office building.

'Damnit, I can't very well follow him in there.'

At this point, he could either wait, or go back to the office and see if anyone knew what was in that building. Mustang supposed he should go back to the office, since someone was bound to be looking for him by now. With a sigh, he turned and made his way back to the military compound at the heart of the city.

**OooOoooOoooOoooO**

One lecture later, Roy found himself sitting at his desk, deep in thought. Plain curiosity had led him to follow the young blonde today. For the last six months or so, their country had been at peace. No more evil plots to turn people into stones, no more mass murderers killing off alchemists. Nope, everything was calm, even boring at times. Fullmetal had been placed in his office, if only to keep an eye on the hothead. His brother had moved back to their hometown, to start a family or something of the sort.

That's when Roy started noticing Ed's odd routine. Every month, like clockwork. On the fifteenth of every month, he'd ask for 2 hours of leave before lunch. Like clockwork, he'd leave on foot, and return after lunch looking a bit queasy. Finally, Roy couldn't stand it and had to know what the hell Fullmetal had to do every month. Sure, he could have just asked, but he doubted that he'd get a straight answer. Now, he had even more questions! Like, why did Edward change his coat? What was in that building?

"Argh! This is so irritating!"

"What's irritating?"

Roy almost jumped a mile in the air at the sudden question. Looking at the door, he realized Edward had walked in and was now giving him a very odd look.

"Nothing, Fullmetal. Don't you have some sort of report to do?"

"No. I think I've done all the paperwork that will ever need to be done. "

"Very good. Go get me some coffee then."

"Do I look like a damn secretary? Go get your own fucking coffee."

With that, the young alchemist walked out of the office, mumbling about how much of an asshole the dark haired man was. Edward Elric, the only man brave enough to insult the Fuhrer. Blinking in surprise, Roy went back to his musings. He really had to know what was in that building.

**OooOoooOoooOoooO**

Edward stormed off to his desk, right outside the Fuhrer's office. 'What a bastard! Asking me to get him coffee! I should transmute his door into a solid wall.' He plopped down in his chair, putting his boots up on the desk. Subconsciously, he rubbed his left arm, where his coat hid a bandaid.

**OooOoooOoooOoooO**

AN : Well! First chapter all done! Please read and review. - Cherry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER : I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters!
> 
> AN : Okay, setting up some warnings now. This story WILL be yaoi. As in boy/boy. It also won't be at once. I like to make my characters find love gradually. Also, I WILL be finishing this story. No 5 chapters and then quit type of BS. It will be completed. - Cherry

"Fuhrer Mustang, sir!"

Roy opened his eyes, looking up at the blonde headed soldier. Caldwell? Carter? Ah hell, he couldn't remember.

"Yes?"

"Here is the information you asked for yesterday."

A piece of paper was left on his desk, and a glare earned him an empty office. Yawning widely, Mustang picked up the paper. It was the info on the building he had seen Fullmetal visit yesterday. With a smirk, he read over the details. It took him a few minutes to process just what he was reading. A medical clinic? Now that was odd. They had medical facilities and doctors on hand here at the main building. Why on earth would he go clear across the city to visit this clinic? There was no information on what sort of clinic it was, just gave a name of the sole doctor practicing there.

Armed with at least a name, Roy stood and grabbed his coat. He fully intended to see why Edward needed an outside doctor. For a moment, he wondered if he was delving too deep into his subordinate's private life. No, he was just checking up on his well being. That's all it was. Giving himself a nod of approval, he crept out the door to his office, careful to avoid his secretary.

**OoooOooooOooooO**

Half an hour later, Roy found himself outside the mysterious clinic. Seeing as it was the sixteenth, he doubted he'd run into the older Elric brother. Giving a quick glance around the building, he walked through the front door.

He was met with a nondescript waiting room. A few chairs here and there, a reception window, and a single door to the left of the window. Looked like an ordinary physician's office. He walked up to the window, tapping on the glass to get the attention of the receptionist. Pretty green eyes turned to face him, instantly going wide at seeing the Fuhrer himself standing there.

"Oh my goodness! Your excellency! How can I help you?"

Roy smirked. Hearing that never got old.

"I'm here to talk with Dr. Notting. Is he available?"

"Oh yes! Please go right in, he doesn't have any patients right now."

Rewarding the blushing girl with one of his best smiles, he strode over to the door and went on back. Behind it was a short hallway, the reception area off to the right. Ahead was an open doorway, with an examination table, and before that to the left was another open door. Taking that for the doctor's office, he checked there first. Sure enough, a young man was seated behind a large desk, covered in papers. Roy tapped on the open door, alerting the man to his presence. Looking up, the young doctor blinked in surprise.

"Fuhrer Mustang? What brings you here?"

"I'm here about a patient of yours, Dr. Notting. Edward Elric. You saw him yesterday?"

More blinks. "Um...well, yes I did. However, I can't divulge anymore information than that Fuhrer. It goes against my oath as a physician."

Roy sighed heavily. He could have ordered the doctor to talk, but that would look bad if it ever got out. Fuhrer Bradley had been known to use whatever means necessary to get what he wanted. Mustang wasn't that sort of person anymore.

"Thank you doctor. Just one more question. What branch of medicine do specialize?"

"Mostly woman's services. Why?"

"No reason, just curious. Again, thank you for your time."

**OoooOoooOoooO**

The walk back to the office was filled with a million thoughts. For the life of him, Roy could not understand why Fullmetal would be seeing a doctor that specialized in female medicine, or why he went there on the same day every month. Unless...

Was it possible that little ol' Edward Elric had gotten a girl pregnant? That would explain the monthly visits. Roy had never noticed him going anywhere on the 15th when he first joined the military. Then again, the kid was on so many missions that he hardly saw Elric for an extended period of time. No, no, it had to be his first thought. Fullmetal had knocked up some poor girl and was being a diligent boyfriend and father by going to all the appointments. Wasn't he a clever fellow for figuring it out? Now, to get back to the office and gloat.

Smug smirk in place, Roy strode right back into Central command and up to his office. Most people stayed out of his way, wary of his expression. Throwing open the door to the atrium before his office, he zeroed in on Edward, who was snoring at his desk.

"FULLMETAL!"

The young Alchemist fell out of his chair, then jumped up, saluting Mustang. Once he realized who had yelled at him, he huffed and sat back down.

"Yeah, yeah. What do you want?"

"That's no way to talk to your Fuhrer. You should learn to speak less rudely, especially when the younger generation could be listening."

"Oi, what are you talking about? Did you finally melt your own brain?"

Roy chuckled and waltzed into his office, leaving a very annoyed looking Edward behind.

**OoooOooOoooOoooO**

Edward sat there, looking at the closed door to Mustang's office. 'What the hell was that idiot talking about?' He shook his head, having given up trying to figure out the Flame Alchemist's obscure personality. A gloved hand came up to cover up a large yawn. 'Man, now that we have peace..every day is extremely boring.'

He stood up and stretched, the metal joints in his right arm clanking. Even though he had managed to get Alphonse's body back, he hadn't been able to reclaim his arm or leg. Not that it really mattered, he'd grown accustomed to the metal limbs. After a few stretches, Edward heavily dropped back down into the chair, immediately regretting it when pain shot up his spine. He quickly stood back up, and decided to jog around the atrium. A bit of exercise always worked out the worst of the cramps.

He knocked out a few laps around the desks when the Fuhrer's actual secretary walked in, giving him an odd look. Honestly, he would rather have a desk anywhere but here, but Mustang decided he needed his 'head alchemist' close by. Probably so he could rub his position in Edward's face. 'Stupid asshole..' This was dumb! He hated being cramped up in this office, in this stupid building. Made him almost want to start a war or something, just to have something to do. Ed looked up at the clock. 'Oh joy...5 more hours to go. I think I'll go home and shoot myself.'


	3. Chapter 3

The days were starting to run together. Before Roy realized it, a month had passed. When he looked at his calendar, he realized that it was the 15th yet again. It was almost time for Fullmetal to come in and ask for a few hours off. If the boy had gotten some girl pregnant, then it would be nearing time for the child to be born, right? Lost in thought, Mustang failed to notice the young blonde enter his office. A metal fist on his desk brought him back to reality, a pair of golden eyes glaring at him.

"Can I help you Fullmetal?"

"I need you to sign this."

"And just what is this?"

"Just fucking sign it."

Roy was taken aback by the harshness in the young man's voice. Arching an eyebrow, he took the paper and gave it a scan. It was a request for leave, for a week, starting that day.

"You want to go on vacation? That's unexpected. However, it's too short of notice, I'm sorry."

Two fists hit the desk, causing papers to scatter.

"I need to go on leave! There is nothing to do around here anyway, you jerk!"

Mustang stood quickly, slamming his own hands on the desk.

"You forget yourself Elric! You can't just ask for vacation at the last damn minute! Not without a damn good reason!" He snapped.

"My reasons are my own!" Edward snapped back.

"Unless you care to inform me of them, you're not going anywhere." His tone cool and even.

"You're such an asshole!" With that, Ed stormed out of the office, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls.

Roy stared at the door for a few minutes. 'Just what the hell has gotten into him?'

**OooOOOoooOOOOoooOOOO**

The next few days were anything but pleasant. Edward walked in the next day, and refused to utter a word to him. He simply folded his arms and sat glumly at his desk. Roy just shook his head and went about his day. The following day had the young blonde crying at his desk over a spilled cup of tea. Even the secretary was looking at the crying boy in horror. The next day was filled with Edward smiling and cleaning, until he tripped on something and started trying to transmute the desks into cannons.

Finally, at the end of the week, Roy could take no more of this strange behavior. He marched right up to Ed's desk and cleared his throat to get the boy's attention. Golden eyes raised to meet his, a yellow eyebrow arching.

"What?"

"Is there any reason you've been acting odd this week?"

Gold eyes narrowed. "Maybe because you're an asshole. Ever thought of that?"

Roy shook his head. "Nevermind."

Leaving the kid to fume, he walked into his office to get started on whatever ridiculous paperwork he had today. One of the first things was a request for aid out to the west. A few alchemists would probably be necessary for it. Grinning, Roy knew just how to get Fullmetal out of his hair.

He called said alchemist into his office. After a few moments, Edward came shuffling in, looking like someone had run over his puppy. Ignoring the sorrowful expression, Roy handed the paper to him. "I've got an assignment for you. You're leaving immediately. Go pack your things."

Ed read over the orders. "Fuhrer Bastard, you should probably go instead of me. This is a town that was ravaged by Bradley. Don't you think they deserve the current Fuhrer's personal treatment?" He handed the paper back.

Groaning, Mustang read it over again. Sure enough, it was a town that Bradley had allowed a number of questionable labs to be built in. Afterward, odd animals had been seen stalking the woods around the town, causing people to go missing in the woods and outskirts. This would be something that he should attend to, if nothing else to keep the country's support. 'Fine, but if I have to bother with this, so does he.' Roy smirked. "Pack your things anyway, WE are leaving immediately."

The color drained from Edward's face. "What?! I don't want to go!"

"I believe I gave you an order Elric."

The boy growled, but yanked the orders out of his hand and stormed out of the office.

**OOooOOOooooOOoooOO**

Morning came, bright and sunny. Roy Mustang sat in a private car on the loud train, a very irritated Edward Elric sitting in the same car. 'Meh, let him be a bitch about this. It's not like either of us have been out of the office in months.' He chuckled to himself, and settled in for the long train ride to the west. The rest of the men he was taking would be on a later train, himself opting to show up alone and unescorted. It showed faith in people, to stand unprotected and offer his aid. Roy always had a flair for the dramatic.

Still, he had no intention of making this trip in complete silence. "So, Fullmetal, are you excited to finally be leaving Central?"

"I don't see why I have to go on this stupid trip with you." He replied without looking up.

"Of course you have to come with me. You're Edward Elric, The Alchemist of the people, remember?" Roy snickered, recalling the boy's silly flaunting a year ago.

"Shut up. Sir."

This earned a louder snicker. Roy left him alone, since a woman had just walked in asking if they wanted to order anything. He ordered a glass of gin, and told her to keep them coming. It was going to be a long train ride.

**OOooOOoooOOOooOOO**

"You know what yer problem is Edward? You're too uptight."

"I'm uptight? Whadda bout you? Colonel Bastard.."

"That's FUHRER Bastard to you."

Edward giggled stupidly at that, as Roy glared when he caught what he had said. It was safe to say, that both men were very intoxicated. After the first glass of gin, Roy had ordered Edward to join him. Somehow, it had turned into a contest of who could out drink who. For such a short guy, Ed could hold his liquor. Finally, the attendant had cut them off, and told them the dining car was closing. Now, both alchemists were staring at each other, daring the other to say something.

It was Ed who tried to stand first. He got up from the chair in front of Mustang, and promptly fell over. Cursing, he scrambled back up into the chair, barely managing to reclaim his seat. "This stupid train...is..like..(hiccup)moving."

Roy had leaned his head over the back of the chair he was sitting in, groaning at the little blonde's complaining. "Shaddup Eddie. Trains are supposed to move."

"Don't call me Eddie!"

"Eeeeeddddddiiiiiieeeeee"

"Yer such a dicktard!" Ed tried to reach over and punch the dark haired man, but quickly sat back when the movement threatened to leave him on the floor again.

Roy raised his head and leaned forward, reaching to grab Edward's collar. "I. Said. Shaddup."

"Make me." Gold orbs narrowed at him, his entire face flushed from the drink.

Of course, being as inebriated as he was, the flame alchemist could only see one logical way to quiet the younger. He yanked him forward and crushed their lips together.

Ed's eye's widened in shock, unable to quite comprehend what the hell was happening. Luckily for the Fuhrer, he too was completely drunk, otherwise he wouldn't be the only man with missing limbs. Slowly, he let his eyes shut, as the other nipped at his lips, begging for entrance. His lips parted to allow the seeking tongue in. He faintly heard someone moan, unsure if it was Mustang or himself.

In a blur of motion, both of them ended up on the floor, the blonde pinned beneath the brunette. Their lips stayed locked, tongues waging war, two sets of hands roaming as if their lives depended on it. Strong hands tugged at Edward's clothing, the kiss finally breaking, as they both needed air. Dark eyes met bright ones, almost begging for permission to do this. Without hesitation, the normal black shirt the younger man wore was discarded, soon followed by leather pants. The elder pulled his shirt over his head, throwing it over his shoulder as he leaned down to trail kisses over the newly uncovered flesh, his fingers clumsily opening his own pants to free his aching arousal. Edward groaned, running his hands through black hair, those lips discovering places on his body that he never knew longed for touch. At some point, fingers were pressed against his mouth, which he eagerly drew in. When that hot mouth found his painfully throbbing member, he arched, crying out. Suddenly the fingers that were in his mouth, found another entrance to press at. Maybe it was just the booze that made this seem like a good idea, but he didn't think he could stop.

Roy dragged his tongue along the underside of the younger boy's erection, earning another strangled cry. Two fingers went between those cheeks easily, scissoring out in preparation for himself. He wasn't about to take him raw, even if was extremely drunk. Finally, he could take no more, and forced Edward's legs apart, settling himself between his knees and the head of his own erection at that tight entrance. Leaning down to plant a kiss on his neck, he pushed forward. The blonde tensed, gasping for air as his hands tried to clutch at the wooden floor beneath them. Roy nibbled at his neck, moving to where the automail met flesh, trying to soothe him. After a few moments, he drew back slowly and jerked his hips forward. Ed whimpered. He drew back again, this time angling himself a bit higher when he thrust forward. Edward gave a loud moan, his hands reaching up to grab almost painfully onto Roy's shoulders. Bingo. Roy picked up the pace, drawing the blonde's legs up to his shoulders for leverage. Again and again, he slammed into that delicious heat, earning a long string of incoherent babbling and moans. It seemed like the world stopped around them, and the only thing he knew was the man beneath him.

Finally, Edward couldn't take it anymore. Everything was starting to go white, his body shuddering uncontrollably. "Oh god...oh god...Oh. God!" With a scream, he spent himself, a tremor going from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Suddenly the passage around his member grew painfully tight. With a groan, he emptied himself into the younger man, then collapsed next to him on the floor.

For a few minutes, they both just laid there, trying to get enough air into their lungs. At some point, Edward drunkenly snuggled up to the dark haired man, and fell asleep. Roy tried to ponder what had just happened, but gave up in favor of following Ed into oblivion.


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing Roy noticed, was the intense pounding in his head. Every jerking movement of the train could be felt behind his eyeballs. The second thing Roy noticed, was that he was naked, on the floor of his private train car, with a blonde head snoozing on his chest. Okay, that wasn't what he expected. Slowly he sat up, carefully dislodging the snoring person on top of him. The pain between his ears got worse, fingers coming up to rub his temples as he tried to piece together the last few hours. Outside the moving train, the world was dark. They had to be nearing their destination, since the train ride was only supposed to take about 36 hours. He remembered ordering a few drinks, then coercing the ornery young alchemist into drinking with him. After that, the images blurred around the edges. Roy saw flashes of them...fighting maybe? That didn't explain why he was naked. He recalled at some point, stripping off his clothing because of the heat in the train car. Moaning, soft cries, nails raking across his back... some sleep and then a repeat. A chill ran down his spine as realization dawned on him.

**He'd slept with Edward.**

'Oh crap..crap...fuckshitcrapshit!' Roy looked down at the still quite naked Fullmetal alchemist. Thankfully the kid was still asleep, blissfully unaware of what had happened. For the moment, Roy was safe from the bodily harm that was sure to happen when Ed woke up. 'Concentrate Mustang. You need to find a way out of this.' Maybe Ed wouldn't recall the previous night's events if he got up and got dressed before the blonde awoke. Yep, that was an excellent plan for this : Denial.

With his plan decided on, Roy jumped up and tried to ignore drilling in his skull as he scrambled to find his discarded clothing. Apparently all the rustling managed to stir the sleeping body on the floor. He froze in terror, unsure if he should keep dressing, or simply meet his death with dignity. Golden orbs opened with a groan, still glazed from sleep. Roy quickly pulled on his pants and prepared to confront whatever happened next. Edward sat up, running his flesh hand through his tangled locks, looking as if he were trying to piece together what had happened for himself. "Holy fuck, my brain feels like pudding."

"That's what happens when you get drunk." Roy tried like hell to keep an even tone. Ed sat up, eyes widening at the fact that he was naked. A blush crept onto his face, going right up to the roots of his hair. "Where the hell are my clothes?! What the fuck happened?!" Those eyes focused on the dark haired man. "Pleeeease tell me we didn't do what I think we did!"

Mustang arched an eyebrow, clearing his throat. "It would seem so Fullmetal."

Edward jumped up, regardless of how much all that movement hurt. He pointed an accusing finger at the Flame Alchemist, his panic getting worse. "You perverted bastard! You got me drunk and then took advantage of me! What kind of Fuhrer rapes his citizens?!"

"What?! I hardly think you were unwilling!" Roy backed up a little.

As he stepped towards the older man, a metal hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder with bruising force. "Then explain how I ended up on the floor of  _your_ private train car, NAKED!" At this point, Edward was shaking with panic and anger, unable to come to terms with the fact that he had slept with his superior.

"Edward-" Gold eyes narrowed at the use of his first name. "- From what I can gather, we were both willing partners in this. Fact is, it was a drunken moment, and nothing to be ashamed of. Just calm the hell down and get dressed. The train will be stopping soon. " With that, Roy turned on a heel and left the car, hoping the give the boy a moment of privacy to get dressed and gather his thoughts.

**OOOoooOOOOoooOOOOoooOOO**

Ed stood there in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He'd gotten completely trashed and had sex with Roy Mustang. There was a nagging thought in the back of his mind, something that he should be remembering and was pertinent to this situation. At the moment, his brain was still too muddled to think straight. Sighing and bracing himself against the pain in his head and back, he dragged on his clothes. A hand went to his hopelessly tangled hair. 'Damn, I wish I could remember which bag had my brush in it.'

He was rummaging through his smaller bag when the Fuhrer entered the train car once more. Grinning in triumph, he stood up with his prize and began to try and drag the brush through his hair. That persistent little thought that he was forgetting something important refused to go away. There was no harm in having drunken sex. Hell, it happened to everyone, right? So why was he letting it worry him so much. Shaking his now untangled hair, he decided against braiding it and just let it hang loosely over his shoulders. "So, how long till we reach Cortel?"

Mustang looked up from the book he'd settled down to read while the other was brushing his hair. "The porter said about four more hours. You've got time for a quick nap or something."

"Nah, I just don't want to be cooped up here with you any longer than I have to. Sir." The last word dripped with contempt. Roy frowned and went back to his book. The blonde dropped heavily into the seat farthest away from Roy and closed his eyes, willing the pounding headache to subside. He thought about asking if the dark haired Fuhrer had some aspirin, but he wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. Outside the windows, the dark countryside raced by, dragging him closer to a town he had no desire to visit. Hopefully they could make an appearance, promise the aid requested, and get the hell back to Central in one piece.

**OOoo A Week Later ooOO**

Once again, Roy found himself in his office, staring at the ceiling in boredom. The assignment in Cortel had been blissfully uneventful, the people in the western areas chanting their support for their generous Fuhrer. He smirked at the thought. On the train ride back, Fullmetal had opted to sit in a civilian car. It was to be expected, considering the young man did nothing but glare at Mustang for the duration of the trip. Over the last week, he'd woken up covered in sweat, the images of the elder Elric brother flashing in his mind. Not that it meant anything, probably just emphasizing the fact that he needed to get a girlfriend soon. However, duty came first and that left little time for dating these days. Roy stood and stretched, working the crick that had formed in his neck. As if he knew he was being thought about, the door opened and in came a surprisingly pleasant Edward Elric. The blonde hauled a stack of paperwork and dropped it on the Fuhrer's desk with a grin.

"Do what do I owe the pleasure of your evil smile Fullmetal?"

The grin broadened. "I'm glad you asked Fuhrer Bastard, sir. These are the files for the newest State Alchemist recruits. If memory serves, you asked to review the background of every alchemist who tried out for the title. There are 47 recruits this time. Enjoy your overnighter. " With that, Ed giggled gleefully and practically skipped towards the door. "Not so fast Elric. I believe you have to review these as well. Pull up a chair. "

His eyes went wide. "What?! I don't want to sit here with you and do that! I'll just look them over when you're done."

"No. That would be a waste of time, when you can just sit here and do this with me." A smirk graced the Flame Alchemist's face. He'd gotten Edward back at his own little game. "Now take about half of these files and we'll get through this before tomorrow."

Edward slumped his shoulders in defeat. Grumbling, he took a portion of the stack and sat on the small couch in front of that ridiculously large desk. For a few hours, only the shuffling of paper could be heard in the room. The only break was when the evening secretary came in to drop off some dinner, and excused herself for the night. Finally, Roy decided the silence was too much and tried to engage the younger alchemist in conversation. "So, did you have something other than paperwork planned for tonight Fullmetal?"

A snort. "What does it matter to you?"

"I was simply asking. It's unlike you to sit somewhere and be completely quiet for longer than half an hour." That earned him a middle finger. Roy tossed a folder in the 'unlikely to suit position' pile and pressed forward. "As a matter of fact, you've been acting quite out of the norm for the last few months."

"How do you figure?"

"Well for starters, you don't seem to travel as much as you used to."

"Why would I? Al has his body back. There aren't many missions that require sending a state alchemist anymore. That, and I don't think you could run this country without me. You would have been killed for the miniskirt order alone." A file hit a designated pile.

"I'm sure everyone would have appreciated the new uniforms had they been given a chance. Don't you fancy putting that special lady in your life in a miniskirt?"

"I don't have a 'special lady', and I certainly wouldn't force her to wear anything she didn't want to."

"I find that hard to believe. So, why did you request leave a week ago? Planning a trip?" More papers shuffling, the scratch of a pen.

"No, I just wanted get out of the office for a while."

"It seemed odd to ask for vacation on the 15th. Seeing as you disappear for a few hours on that day every month." No, Roy hadn't forgotten. He was still insanely curious as to what mysterious task the blonde did every month at a woman's clinic. He was still stuck on the girlfriend pregnant bit, even if he denied having a girlfriend.

Paperwork hit the floor and scattered everywhere. Roy looked up to see Edward frozen in terror. Without a thought to the mess, Ed bolted for the door, knocking over more files in the process. Mustang jumped up. "Elric! Just where the hell do you think you're going?!" Too late, the blonde was gone, the door left ajar in his swift exit. He stood there, blinking in confusion. Maybe Edward was shocked that he stumbled onto his secret, but he hardly thought a pregnant woman was enough to cause such an episode. Now Roy was left with more questions than before.


	5. Chapter 5

It was going on a week since Roy had seen the red coat clad shrimp. Almost a week since he had gone running out of his office. He had shown up for work the next day, claimed illness halfway through, and had kept calling in for the next 5 days. It was very odd, since regardless of how much Edward vocalized his hatred for work, he still showed up every day. After the incident, Roy finished with the alchemist files and had gone home with the idea to yell at the young blonde the next morning. Said blonde showed up the next day extremely distracted. In turn, it had Roy distracted and he forgot all about confronting him about it. So, now the office was unnervingly quiet and had been so for far too long.

He pushed his chair back from the desk, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling. What could possibly be keeping the midget out of the office? At first, he figured it was because he mentioned the doctor thing. Then that led to thoughts of perhaps the girl delivering. That would indeed cause Edward to be out of the office for an extended period of time. Roy even went as far as checking the local hospitals, seeing as Fullmetal was well known around Central. No one reported seeing him there, and certainly not with a woman having a baby. So, there went that scenario. It was logical that he could have taken the girl out of the city, but he could hardly start asking hospitals in the general area. Roy sighed in resignation, knowing that he would get no answers without confronting Edward. After having his fill of the ceiling, he decided a bit of time out of the office was due. He stood, cracking and stretching sore joints, and made his way out into the atrium. Sure enough, pipsqueak's desk was empty. Shaking his head, Roy turned to his secretary. "I'll be going out for lunch, at my usual place. Please have me notified the minute Edward Elric shows up. If he calls, tell him he is to report to me, in this office,  **at once**."

After a 'yes sir' from the woman, Roy strode out, mind still reeling over why Edward hadn't shown his face in so long.

**OOOooooOOOOoooOOOooOOO**

A nervous office aid had found Roy as he was leaving the cafe, stuttering that Elric had arrived at the office. Sure enough, when he entered the atrium, Edward was sitting at his desk, looking as if he had been there all long.

"Fullmetal. My office. NOW."

"Yeah, yeah I know. After you  _sir._ "

Edward walked into the office first, followed by an annoyed Roy, who shut the door behind them. "Sit down Fullmetal. Care tell explain why the hell you have skipped out on a week of work?"

That earned him a snort. "Is it a crime to take time off? You denied my request for vacation, so I took it anyway."

Roy strode over and sat down at his desk, resting his elbows on the desk and folded his hands to a point in front of his mouth as he tried to think of what to say next. "Elric, I think we both know that's bullshit. You ran out of here like the hounds of hell were on your heels. Then you're gone for days afterward. Explain."

The younger alchemist narrowed his eyes, obviously angered at the amount and direction of the questions. "It's exactly what I said. I took the leave you didn't let me take. "

"You're not leaving this office until I have the truth." Roy returned the glare.

"Well too fucking bad Fuhrer Asswipe. That's the truth. Can I go now, or would you like to interrogate me about how my vacation went?"

"I want to know why you ran out of this office."

Edward jumped to his feet, temper obviously getting the better of him. "BECAUSE I FUCKING FELT LIKE IT! WHY THE HELL DO YOU KEEP GOING ON ABOUT THIS?!"

Mustang sat back and blinked in surprise. Normally it took a lot longer to get Edward this angry. "Fullmetal, sit down. Why can't you just tell me what the hell is wrong?"

"BECAUSE IT'S NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN BUSINESS!" With that, Edward turned and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him. As soon as he was out the door, he intended to sprint off, only to have his arm caught by a very irritated Fuhrer. "Let me go you smug bastard! I fucking quit, you hear me?! Now let me the fuck go!" He struggled, attempting to swing the arm not caught. Roy simply yanked him back into the office and shut the door behind them.

"That's it Elric, you have disrespected your superior enough." He let go of the boy so quickly, Edward fell to the ground. "Regardless of how you view me, I am the Fuhrer. I outrank you in every way. I'll be the one to say when you can quit, when you can leave the room, and when you are done talking. Now, I'll ask again : What the hell is going on with you?"

Golden eyes stared in shock at the sudden show of political power from Mustang. Normally the man flaunted his position, but not in this manner, and especially not to Ed. Trying to gather as much dignity as he could from his position on the floor, he racked his brain on how to answer. Finally, he drew in a long breath and stood to face Roy. "Look, there is nothing wrong with me. I really just wanted a vacation. As for why I ran out the other night, it was because I realized I had forgotten something important in the...research project I'm doing. Everything is fine, and I won't take off work anymore without permission, sir."

Roy still felt like there was something he wasn't being told. If there was one thing he hated, it was being told half truths and lies. "I would think that you knew me well enough to know I can smell a lie. Something scared the hell out of you enough to make you avoid this building for a week. What is it? Is there something here I should be worried about? I will caution you against lying to me again."

The younger's shoulders slumped in defeat, his head down and shadowed. He mumbled something so faint, Roy almost missed it. In one fluid movement, Roy moved forward and grabbed the boy by the upper arms. "I've had enough of these games Elric, what is it you're not wanting to say?!" He instantly let go of him when Edward raised his head, eyes glistening with tears. Something was very wrong here. "Edward, what is so bad that you can't just spit it out?"

Edward shivered in fear. "Will you please drop this? Can I just go?" His voice broke, as if it was taking everything he had not to fall apart. "There is nothing wrong here, nothing to be worried about. Just please, please lets pretend like this never happened. I promise to come to work every day. "

Dark eyes narrowed, the urge to shake the truth out of the boy rising. Something had him so spooked that was actually crying. If there was nothing here that had him afraid, then what in the world was it? "Is it something that could put your life in danger to tell me?"

"No, nothing like that. I'm begging you Mustang, please just let this go."

Roy didn't like this one bit. "Then if you're not in danger, tell me what is going on with you. Does it have to do with me asking about your monthly visit to that medical clinic?"

At that, Edward paled considerably, tears now freely running down his cheeks. Time seemed to inch by as Roy waited on an answer from the visibly shaken alchemist. He almost regretted asking about that, but he was at the point of no return with this. Ed drew in a shaky breath, seeming to steel himself for what he was about to say. Roy could see the gears inside his brain going into overdrive, making him wonder just how big of a situation this really was. Finally, the blonde forced himself to stop shaking.

"Not here. For the love of god, I'll explain everything, but not here."

"Fine. Where?"

"Um... my place. That way I know no one can be listening. Be there around 6. Can I leave early? Please, it will be the last time Roy, and I'll tell you what is going on tonight. "

He widened his eyes a fraction at hearing his first name, but then closed them and nodded. "Just today. I'll see you tonight Fullmetal."

At that, Edward departed the office, clearly wrestling with his decision to talk to Mustang.

**OOOoooOOOOoooOOOOoooOOOO**

Six came around quicker than Roy had expected, and he found himself pulling up to the small house Edward occupied. It was more of a building than a house, better for keeping a lab Roy assumed. He parked the car, having opted to drive himself, and walked up to the door. There was a rather rusted knocker on it, which he used to alert the other of his arrival. Almost instantly, the door opened and he was ushered inside by the more casually clad Edward. He'd lost the red jacket and over shirt, leaving him in a simple black t-shirt and lose black pants, his blonde hair free of it's usual braid. Roy couldn't help but notice that his hair was a lot longer than he remembered, reaching the small of his back in a straight yellow sheet. Dark eyes scanned the lower level of the house, noting the small touches of decoration here and there. To the back of the entryway was a set of stairs, one going up to what he assumed were bedrooms and one going down to a basement area. Edward led him to a small living area to the left of the door, where a few tasteful couches and a coffee table sat, two cups of tea and a plate of cookies laid out on the table. "Nice place Fullmetal. I didn't think a young man living on his own could be so...neat."

A golden eyebrow arched at that. "I can keep a house, ass. I took care of Alphonse after our mother died, remember?"

"I always just assumed he did all the housework, since your lab at Central command is atrocious." Roy smirked a bit.

"Yeah, that's a lab. I'm more messy when working, but I don't care to live in a mess. Anyway, I didn't realize you came here to poke fun at my home. Have a seat." He took his own order and sat down on the larger couch, leaving the chair for Mustang. While waiting for the older man to take off his coat and take a seat, he grabbed a few cookies and shoved them in his mouth. Roy took a seat and took a cookie as well, taking a bite and blinking.

"You make these?"

"Yup."

"They're quite good."

Ed gave an amused snort. "Cooking is essentially alchemy, but no circles. "

"True. Guess I never really thought about it. " He finished the cookie and took the cup of tea, sipping it carefully and studying the blonde. "So, what is this horrible thing that you couldn't tell me at the office?"

The younger gave a soft resigned sigh, his flesh hand coming up to rub his eyes. "I don't even know where to start. I honestly wish you would just drop this, but I know you better than that. You're like a dog gnawing at a bone when it comes to secrets. Can I ask how you found out about the clinic?"

"Well..." Roy wasn't quite sure how to answer that. "I just noticed you leaving every 15th of the month. As your boss, I figured I should know what you were doing, so I investigated."

"So, you followed me. Don't know you know the story about the cat and curiosity?"

"Fine, yes I followed you. I also happened to find out what sort of clinic that is. "

"Guess I can't leave any bits out can I? That's fine. I'll just start with that then. I go to that clinic to get a shot of hormones every month." Roy raised his eyebrows at that, taking a long sip of the tea, gesturing for Ed to continue. "The reason for those, is because of what I went through to get Al's body back. The gate...changed me. Somehow I got more back than his body. To be honest, I'm not sure what happened exactly, but it seems I got some of the things other people exchanged for the truth. Well, just one person's : My teacher. Maybe it was because I was so close to her, or maybe it was just a weird mix up, I don't know. I got Al's body, and I got her...insides. "

"...Her insides?" It took Roy a minute to remember who his teacher was. Curtis, something Curtis. In any case, he didn't recall what the woman had lost or that she had even attempted human transmutation.

"Yeah, the organs and stuff she lost. I think my body was able to make do with the extra intestines, probably absorbing them or using them for different things. Seems like I can metabolize a lot more than I was able to before. The only thing that my body couldn't find a use for was the female reproductive organs. So, I found a doctor that has done some study in..males with this sort of issue, and paid him to keep his mouth shut on who I was. He gives me the hormones to balance out the overdose of female ones and in turn, I let him take notes for his study. Apparently there are people born with two genders, just not to the point of having two sets of working reproductive organs. "

This was quite a bit to take in. Ed could see it written all over Roy's face. He picked up his own forgotten cup of tea and took a drink, waiting for the information to process in Mustang's brain.

"Well, that certainly solves that mystery. I'm not sure what to make of it. Is there no way to remove the unwanted organs?"

"Not really, or else I would have done that. When Dr. Notting tried, my body freaked. It seems like this is my punishment for messing with the gate. "

"I see. That doesn't explain why you went running from my office when I brought it up. Did it scare you that much, that I had noticed your doctor visits?"

Edward paled again, almost choking on his tea. Trembling a bit, he set the cup down and stared at the table, refusing to meet Roy's eyes. "No. I could have made something up, had you asked about the monthly disappearances. What scared me was I had been unable to get my hormone shot this month. Dr. Notting had gone on vacation. I had planned to just stay home, since I get all these weird aches and cramps when I miss it. It wouldn't have been so bad, but then we had that...incident.. on the train."

Mustang leaned back in the chair, a bit confused. What did sleeping together have to do with anything? "Yes, we had sex. I fail to see what that has to do with this."

The blonde gave a hallow chuckle. "Those organ's are fully functional as far as we know."

Now it was sinking in. It was Roy's turn to have all the color drain from his face. "So you're telling me..that it's a possibility..that.. ?"

"That is exactly what I'm saying."

At this point, tears were flowing down the younger man's face. He leaned back on the arm of the couch, drawing his legs up to his chest."I'm so sorry Roy. I didn't think it would ever be a problem. I didn't expect to sleep with you." Finally a dam broke within him, his shoulders shaking with sobs. Without thinking, Roy was up and crossing to the other couch, wrapping his arms around the sobbing figure. He had no idea what comfort he could offer Edward, so he settled for sitting and drawing him into his lap. For a few minutes, the blonde sobbed quietly, pressed up against his superior's chest, neither of them saying a word. At some point, Roy had started running his hands through those golden strands in an attempt to soothe the other's pain. This was quite a mess they had found themselves in. Slowly the tears subsided, leaving Edward a bit drained.

"Are you alright?" Roy spoke quietly, his mind still reeling.

"Yeah.. I think so. Thank you." Edward blinked. "You can stop petting me now." Although, it did feel quite nice.

"Oh..oh! Sorry." A blush dusted over the dark haired man's face, as he dropped his hands. At some point, the sun had set and the room had darkened considerably. "Don't you have actual lights here Fullmetal?"

"Yeah, the switch is over there. This room usually gets a lot of sun so I didn't think to turn them on."

They sat there for a few moments longer, unsure of what else could be said. Finally, Roy found his voice. "Do you regret it?"

"Huh? Regret what?"

"Sleeping with me."

"Truthfully? No. I've been through too much in my life to start regretting things now. " He chuckled, moving to untangle himself from the older man and sit further down the couch. Minutes passed in awkward silence while both men collected their thoughts. Finally, Edward stood up and started to stack the used teacups, speaking to Roy over his shoulder. "I made an appointment with Dr. Notting..you know.. to have things checked out. I should know something in a few days."

"That's good I suppose. I want you to know.. if something has come of this.." Roy cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. ".. I'll go along with whatever you want to do. I can provide monetary support and whatever else you may need."

A teacup smashed to the floor, causing Roy to jump and look up. Edward stood there, face contorted in undisguised rage. "What the fuck do you mean 'monetary support'? You think I told you all this because I wanted  _money_?!"

"What?! No! I didn't think that! I just meant I would give you what support I could, considering this unorthodox situation." The second teacup came flying at his head, giving him barely enough time to jump off the couch and out of the line of fire. "I'm just trying to help! Damnit Fullmetal, what the hell do you expect me to do?!"

"Get out." Edward pointed a steel hand towards the doorway.

"But..-"

"I. Said. Get. The.  **Fuck. Out."**

Seeing that the blonde would not see reason, Roy slowly walked past him and towards the door. He looked back momentarily, in time to see Edward's shoulders slump in defeat. 'I've made a real mess of this, haven't I?' Shaking his head, he opened the door and left, the soft sounds of sobs echoing behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

In the days that followed, neither man made an effort to speak to the other. Time in the office was passed in slightly uncomfortable silence, conversations made out of necessity. After a week of this, Edward broke the pattern by throwing himself into his work for the numerous reconstruction projects across the country. He was often out of the office, heading teams of newly licensed state alchemists as they used their alchemy to rebuild many of the small towns that were destroyed during the recent battles. Thankfully, this kept him out of Roy's sight, which made it easier not to dwell on the storm cloud of what if's that had been hanging over them since that eventful evening.

The next two weeks came and went, the two barely in the same city for longer than a day. Finally, the 15th of the next month rolled around, something that did not go unnoticed by Roy. He dutifully sat at his desk, wondering if Edward was even in Central. If he was to see his doctor, he would have to be in Central, yes? It wouldn't make sense for him to skip an appointment he had kept so religiously for almost a year. The work day dragged by and ended with no sign of the blonde alchemist. Frowning, Roy collected his things and left the office for the day. Perhaps Edward had gone in to see the doctor without checking in with him. Then again, it really was none of his business, even if he hated not knowing something. He shook his head and exited the building, a shiny black car already waiting at the curb to deliver him home. Hopefully tomorrow would shed some light on this unusual mystery.

**OOOOooooOOOOOooooOOOOOooooOOOOO**

Morning brought no answers, just more paperwork. Being Fuhrer wasn't all it was cracked up to be, since all he did was sign papers and throw pencils at the ceiling most days. By lunch time, he had finished all said paperwork and was attempting to see how many times he could hit the fern by the door with tiny wads of paper. Suddenly loud shouts echoed in the outer atrium, drawing his attention away from his silly game. Dark eyes narrowed as the door was thrown open, a rattled soldier running in.

"Lieutenant, what's the meaning of this?"

"Your excellency! There...there has been an accident."

Roy beckoned the man forward. "What sort of accident?"

"It's Colonel Elric, sir. His train..." The lieutenant gathered himself, obviously shaken up by this. "His train bound for East City derailed. It was carrying some equipment from Central which exploded due to the impact. The car he was in is completely gone, sir."

For the next few moments, everything in the world went still. Derailed? Explosion? Roy stood there in shock, barely aware that he was speaking. "Have they found any remains of the Fullmetal Alchemist? How about survivors?"

"Sir, there are survivors from the other cars, but including Colonel Elric, there were six casualties and all six have been accounted for. We...we found his automail, sir. It was him."

"Thank you lieutenant, you may go. See to it that families are notified and services are arranged."

"Sir!" A salute, and the office was left empty.

As soon as the door closed, Roy sat heavily in his chair, a hand covering his face. So that was it then? In the blink of an eye, Edward Elric was gone. He sat there silently for a few moments, trying to process what had just happened. No more Edward. No more loud cursing, random alchemy in the atrium, no more snoring during work hours, no more crooked grins, no more Edward. Finally the weight of this information was too much. Roy put his head down on the desk to hide his face from the empty office, two silent tears sliding down his face.

**OOOooooOOOOOooooOOOOOOOooooOOO**

Within the week, Roy attended six funerals out of respect. Each time he said the same words, echoing bravery and honor for soldiers he had never met. On the sixth day, he got dressed in the same quiet fashion. He slicked his hair back and put the same cap on. He buckled the same sword around his waist, and got in the same car and made the same drive one final time. The only difference was this time he was burying a face he knew almost as well as his own. This time, it was time to say good bye to Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, Alchemist of the People. The afternoon sky above their heads held steel colored clouds, almost as if the sky itself was mourning the loss of the young blonde. Many old friends, now high ranking officers, gathered around the coffin. Inside the coffin, a badly burned body, nearly unidentifiable except for the burnt metal arm and leg attached to it. Somewhere in the fog of his mind, he registered that the priest was saying a few words. It was ironic considering Edward was an atheist. He looked at the sea of faces, noting the emotionless face of Alphonse Elric and the young Rockbell girl. Somehow that didn't seem right, but he chalked it up to the shock of losing a loved one.

The service dragged by, coming to a close as dirt was shoveled into the gaping hope in the ground. Roy stayed behind for a few moments, staring at the stone marker and fresh dirt. A familiar hand was placed on his shoulder, the familiar eyes of Riza coming into view. "Sir? Are you ready to go?"

"This seems oddly familiar, doesn't it?" He chuckled darkly.

"Yes sir. Although this time, it seems like it really will rain."

"That it does...that it does. In the end, I seem to end all my friendships here. I'm starting to wonder if it's just me."

"I don't think that sir. I'm still here after all."

"There is that. Alright, I guess it is time to go back. Fullmetal would never let me live it down if I stayed out here. "

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, the clouds opening up as the two figures entered the waiting car. It did indeed seem that the sky was set on mourning him.

**OooooOOOOooooOOOO**

Weeks turned into months, each one dragging by at a snail's pace. Emotions ran high for the first few weeks, then slowly burned out. The office of the Fuhrer was a much more quiet place these days, devoid of the random bouts of cursing and spontaneous paper ball wars. It was hard to fathom that the young man had made such an impact on so many lives. In the end, his shadow was a lot bigger than his stature. Before anyone knew it, half a year had passed. The leaves on the trees had turned orange and fallen, the warm weather giving way to the cold. The desk to the far left of the atrium sat empty, a type writer gathering dust on it's surface.

A new head Alchemist was chosen, and Colonel Armstrong took over the reconstruction project. It seemed like every loose end was tied up, except for the feeling that something important was missing. When the winter months finally settled in, very few eyes were still holding out hope to catch a glimpse of that trademark red coat coming the corner.

The cold weather settled in with a vengeance, a particularly blustery day rattling the windows of his normally silent office. Roy sat back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. A timid knock on the door drew him out of his boredom. "Enter."

"Your excellency."

Dark eyes widened a bit. "Oh, Hawkeye. Come in. "

"Thank you sir. " She shut the door behind her and approached the large desk. "I see you're still not doing your work."

He smiled. "I'll have you know, everything here is done. How can I help you?"

"Well sir.." A letter was placed on the desk. "This is the deed and such for Edward Elric's home here in Central. He wrote out no will, so it goes to his brother by default. I was going to mail it, but I think it might be best if you deliver it. "

"Me? What makes you say that?"

"Because I think it's time we all made some closure with this. I also think Alphonse deserves that from you. After all, you're the one who first signed Edward up for the military. "

Roy sighed, looking at the small unassuming envelope. "You're right Riza, you always are."

"As you say, sir. Your private train is waiting at the station. Your secretary has informed me that nothing has been scheduled for the next few days. "

**OoooOOOooOOOOOooOOO**

A day later found Roy well on his way to Resembool, the letter sitting on the empty seat next to him. He supposed he could have called first, but he didn't intend to stay long enough to impose. He would simply hand the letter to Alphonse and be back on his way to Central. It was doubtful that the younger Elric wanted anything to do with him but he did indeed deserve this letter in person. Nervousness crept up on him as the train pulled into the Resembool station. He had opted to come alone with only Colonel Hawkeye as company. She was more than capable of protecting him against threats, although he did not expect anything of the sort on this trip. The train came to a complete stop, Hawkeye exiting first to secure a car that had been reserved ahead of time. She came back a few minutes later to beckon him out into the late morning.

The drive was silent, a mutual understanding for the lack of conversation. Soon the Rockbell home came into view, the a new sign bearing the name "Rockbell Automail" now out on the road. The car turned up the uneven dirt path, coming to a stop just in front of the high porch. Roy stared up at the home, suddenly unsure of himself. Would Alphonse even be here? It was very possible that the boy had moved into a home of his own. He turned and looked at Riza, who in turn gave him a small reassuring nod. No, this was the place. Taking in a deep breath, he exited the car and marched up the steps.

Almost too fast, Roy found himself standing in front of the door. This was it, so to speak. The final set of affairs that would close the case and life of Fullmetal. It was bittersweet, ending up at the same front door that began this journey so many years ago. He let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and firmly knocked on the door. Moments dragged by before he heard shuffling on the other side. A latch clicked and the door came open, revealing Alphonse Elric. His eyes widened considerably at the sight of Roy Mustang. "Roy! I mean, Fuhrer! Wha...um..how...I mean..What are you doing here?"

A dark eyebrow arched. "I'm here to deliver some final papers for your brother's estate. I figured it was only right that I bring them in person. Is this a bad time?"

"Oh no! No..I just really wasn't expecting you. You didn't have to bring them here yourself, but thank you all the same." He glanced back into the dark house, as if trying to catch someone.

"Well, I won't take too much of your time. I just need you to sign them while I witness and I'll be on my way."

"Oh-okay. Let me..if you could just wait here..for second.."

"Al! Is that Winry? I want those damn pecans!"

Both men at the door froze at the voice. Roy was the first to speak, drawing his words out slowly. "Alphonse, who was that?"

"NO ONE! NO ONE AT ALL YOUR MUSTANG SIR!" His eyes eyes were as wide as saucers when the sound of footsteps came from behind him. Roy pushed the stuttering boy aside and strode into the house, just in time to come face to face with someone he had said good bye to six months ago. Someone who was apparently not dead. Blonde hair hung to his waist, golden eyes wide in surprise. Roy's gaze drifted downward to the obviously very swollen midsection.

"Edward...?!"

"...Shit.."


	7. Chapter 7

Orange and scarlet streaked across the sky as the sun set over the small town of Resembool. A small lamp on a plain wooden table was lit in preparation for the loss of the natural light. At said table sat a very confused and angry Roy Mustang, currently glaring at the cup of coffee Alphonse had set in front of him. Across from him sat a dead man. Or, at least he was supposed to be dead. For some reason, it was insanely hard to keep Edward Elric dead.

"So, am I going to get a full explanation for all of this?" Roy lifted the cup and took a long sip of coffee, giving the rest of the household time to come up with a suitable answer.

Alphonse was the first to speak. "Fuhrer-"

"Roy. No need for formalities."

"Ah..Roy.. Well, as you can see, brother is not dead. " The younger Elric scratched his cheek, clearly unsure of how to continue.

"Yes, I can see that. I'm assuming the train accident was staged? Five other people died that day. "

Edward scoffed. "No, I didn't stage the damn train accident. It was just convenient. So, now you know I'm alive. Can you please go the fuck back to Central? Forget you ever found this out."

Roy set down his cup, clasping his hands together so that he could rest his chin on them. He studied the young blonde, intentionally avoiding looking down. It was hard to determine how to approach this situation, which was serving to aggravate him further. Roy Mustang did not like uncertain situations. Finally he forced himself to take in all of Edward, trying to access the damage. A metal hand was settled on the round lump that was once a flat stomach, absently rubbing it.

"I think, at this point, simply forgetting this is not an option. " He sighed. "Fullmetal, I think you owe me a better explanation, especially one about your.. condition."

The table shook as Ed slammed down his own coffee cup. "I don't owe you a god damn thing. There is no condition. Now, leave." With that, he stood and exited the room. Alphonse clicked his tongue in disapproval of his brother's rude behavior, standing to collect the coffee mug.

After a few moments, the previously silent Pinako Rockbell tapped her pipe and cleared her throat. "The shrimp is moody these days. Wish he wouldn't lose his temper so easily though, not good for the baby. "

Roy let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "So it's true.. he's really..pregnant?"

She chuckled softly. "Indeed he is. About 7 months by our calculations. Said he remembered the exact day he conceived. By both of your faces, I'm assuming your the mysterious father he refused to tell us about? I can see why he's so upset. I would be too if I was having a baby with someone I was supposed to hate."

More silence floated by. There really wasn't much to say at this point. Edward Elric was carrying his child. There was something he never thought he'd have to face. He sighed heavily and turned to the younger Elric. "Alphonse, I still need to speak to Edward. Where would he have gone?"

"Um..well he has trouble with the stairs, so his bedroom is downstairs. It's likely he would have gone there. Although, even if he went out the backdoor, he can't waddle very fast. "

"Which room is his?"

"When you leave this room, the hallway leads right to his door. I know you need to talk to him, but please don't upset brother too badly. He's been through a lot."

Roy nodded and headed out the door Edward had previously exited through. As soon as he shut the door behind him, he noticed the door directly in front of him was ajar. Opening it, he realized it led outside into the chilly evening. There on the back steps sat Edward, wrapped up in his trademark crimson cloak. Roy walked out and gently shut the door. "You know, you shouldn't be out here. You'll catch a cold."

The younger man turned slightly, studying Roy through a curtain of blonde. "I usually run hot these days."

"Ah, I see." Roy cleared his throat, coming up to stand on the first step. The sun was almost done setting, bathing the yard in a red-orange glow. "Not as cold here as it is in Central. It was snowing there when I left."

"Nah. We hardly see snow out here."

"We didn't see much snow in East City either."

Edward stood, climbing up to the top step to stand next to Mustang. Gold orbs glared at the dark haired man. "What are you still doing here Mustang?"

Roy met his golden stare. "I'm here because you weren't done explaining everything to me. I think I deserve to know about that. " He pointed at Edward's swollen stomach.

"Deserved to know? Ha! You deserve a kick in the junk Fuhrer Asshat, but that's about it. I faked my death to get out of the military without any fuss. If you are here to make a big deal about that, so be it, but the kid isn't any of your concern."

"Is it mine?"

Edward scowled at the older man. "Of course it is! I don't just go sleeping around with everybody!"

"Okay, then it is definitely my concern. I'm insulted that you would hide this from me."

"What the hell was I supposed to do?!" His voice began shaking. Ed sat down on the step again and put his head in his hands. "Do you even realize what could happen because of this?! You're the Fuhrer! I'm a man! If the military didn't drag me off to be studied, the media would have a field day! I couldn't risk any of that. The best course of action was to disappear, and take my child with me. "

"Our child."

"What?"

Roy sat down next to him, rubbing his temples in an effort to ward off the impending migraine. "Our child. As in, that kid isn't just your's, it's mine too. Damnit Fullmetal..." The headache was coming anyway. "You should have just said something. We could have figured out a way to fix all of this. You didn't have to go with this half assed scheme. "

"Half assed? If you hadn't randomly showed up, no one would have known I was out here. As far as the village is concerned, I'm Winry's pregnant cousin. It's held up so far."

"Eventually this would have blown up. Regardless, don't you think  **I**  had a right to know about this child?"

Edward folded his arms around his stomach. "At first, I considered it.. but in the end I figured it was better if you didn't. What happened between us was a freak occurrence. Leave it to my luck to screw it up. " He gave a weak laugh. "You didn't need a kid. When I explained that it was a possibility back then, you had the most freaked out look on your face. It's not like you asked for it either. I mean, guys shouldn't be able to get pregnant, so you weren't even prepared for this possibility. "

A sigh escaped the dark haired man. The sun had finally set, and the stars were beginning to show themselves all across the night sky. A cold breeze rolled over the green and brown hills, causing Roy to shiver a bit. "You're right. I was freaked out. I should have realized when dealing with you, anything is possible. I still wish you had told me. "

"If I had, what would you have done?"

"What I'm about to do now. I want you to come back to Central with me."

Ed looked up at Roy. "Why?"

"I would feel better knowing you are close by. That way you have access to top notch medical care should you need it. Your doctor is in Central is he not?"

"Yeah.. he's come out here a few times to check on me though. He was planning to surgically deliver the baby here in about 6 weeks." His gold hair whipped around him in the wind, obscuring his view of the older man. After a few minutes of contemplation, Ed rose up off the steps and walked back towards the door. "Fine, I'll go. You're right that it would be best if I was near Dr. Notting. I guess I'll pack and we can leave whenever you're ready. "

Suddenly he hunched over a bit, grimacing in pain. Roy moved to help him, but held himself back. "Fullmetal? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. She just kicks a lot. Kinda hurts when she hits ribs."

"She? How do you know the sex?"

Ed straightened up. "Granny says it's a girl, so I'm inclined to believe her." He massaged his stomach fondly, only to flinch again. "Ouch."

Before he could help himself, Roy closed the distance between them and placed his hands on the blonde's abdomen. Sure enough, there was a fluttering of motion between his fingers. That's when it finally sunk in. There really was a baby, a baby that was going to be here in less than two months. "I can't believe it.."

Finally Ed shooed his hands away. "Don't go getting all sentimental on me bastard." With that, he entered the house and left a stunned Roy standing out in the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're looking for a quick moving romance, this isn't the story for you. Sex is one thing. Loving someone is completely different. So, I will try to make this process as natural as I can for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Look for my other works! - Cherry


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